Singing From the Shadows at Philly Story Fest 2024

Back Pocket Media was founded with the original idea to create a radio show that captures and shares ‘interesting stories in the city.’ Today, the media company is best known for hosting storytelling “parties,” where journalists and reporters share compelling narratives in front of a live audience. These immersive events occur twice a year in cities like San Francisco, Detroit and our own, Philadelphia. One participant, who moved to Philly to escape the frantic pace of New York, captured the essence of this year’s festival: “It’s about feeling something profound—leaving different than when you arrived.”

This year’s theme, “Singing from the Shadows,” reflects Philadelphia as “a skyline of stories,” first introduced by co-founder McArdle Hankin. The performers at these events include journalists, artists, nonprofit leaders, and storytellers, each representing their respective organizations. Through their stories, participants are invited to engage with the deeper narratives that make Philadelphia “a mosaic of resilience, love, and transformation.” Notable participants include The Inquirer, Philly Mag, Philadelphia Citizen, Spotlight PA, and Mural Arts.

Love Now Media interviewed several audience members before the show began to get their thoughts on the event. Caroline, who was sitting with a group of friends, spoke to Lou and said, “The show last year felt very ‘Philadelphia.’” She mentioned that she had returned to the event with the same group of people that she’d attended with in 2023. Two roommates in the center row shared her same enthusiasm: Julia mentioned they enjoyed hearing the “lore of the city,” and Maya – who was new to the city – agreed, commenting that the reason they came had everything to do with Julia’s experience.

As the show unfolded, it’s fair to say that we had no idea what to expect. There was Philly Mag’s Shaunice Ajiwe’s light-hearted story about modern dating, complete with a big screen behind her, captioning her humorous insights on finding a community of singles in the city. Then Danielle Ohl, a journalist with Spotlight Philly, shared a tragic story of an incarcerated man who faced injustice. Through her work, she collects narratives from those who have endured unimaginable suffering. She asks several questions about the impact of their experiences, replicated in the question posed to the audience in her story: “Did his deeds matter?”

Chef Kai from Philabundance shared his culinary passion live on stage, emphasizing the importance of nutrition and gratitude in his community kitchen initiatives. Conrad Benner of Streets Dept celebrated Philadelphia’s vibrant Mural Arts with a story about how a mural came to be known, emphasizing the role of Jacen Bowman in representing LGBTQ+ communities through art. Shortly afterward, ballroom superstar Shaun West took center stage to vogue and dance on the beat as the screen behind him repeated Bowman’s words, “The power of art is to transform lives.”

Two stand-out stories from the night were from media makers themselves: Back Pocket Media’s collaboration with KALW Public Radio and Stephanie Farr from the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Back Pocket Media’s collaboration with KALW’s prison radio podcast “Uncuffed” featured a song produced in a San Quentin media lab with inmate Samuel L. Jackson (no relation to the actor). “I waited for the bus, but it didn’t show,” he sings, and the big screen follows with the lyrics. The song was a reflection of his experience losing his sister to leukemia. The audio production brought Samuel’s story to life from behind bars: “Would a flower be dropped upon me in my grave,” he hums.

Finally, Stephanie Farr from The Inquirer closed the night with a moving report on Cheryl Edwards, a woman who was abandoned as a child. “Some stories find their way to us for a reason,” Farr notes, highlighting the interconnectedness of our lives and the power of healing through reconciliation. Edwards was in the audience as Farr revealed that stories like hers make her job worthwhile.

Overall, this project deserves recognition for its ambitious commitment to amplifying everyday stories through performance. In the future, we’d love to see more of our city’s unique culture and history celebrated, but each performer played a vital part in the evening’s tapestry of Philadelphia’s stories. While it is sometimes too easy to feel out of touch with ourselves and each other, Philly Story Fest 2024 reminded us to pay attention to the day-to-day moments that shape our realities and embrace the shared humanity that makes this our home. If you missed this year’s festival, let this be a reminder not to miss out on the next festival in 2025!

For more information, check out https://www.storyfest.org/